Charge of the Light Bridage– Canada style
The recent hit movie, The Blind Side, near its end discusses the famous poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and its message for ordinary people and the challenges we face in life.
The poem is an ode to bravery and duty in the face of almost certain death – in the same vein as the famous story of the 300 Spartans. It was made into an epic film starring Errol Flynn in 1936,with extensive Hollywood spin (and remade in 1968). The climactic and spectacular 1936 charge is available on YouTube.
In a war half way around the world, a British cavalry unit of 600, armed only with lances and swords, is ordered to take an enemy, Russian position: a position at the end of a long, narrow valley, defended by canons on both sides and at its end.
To quote the poem:
….
Into the valley of DeathRode the six hundred.
….
Cannon to right of them,Cannon to left of them,Cannon in front of themVolley'd and thunder'd;Storm'd at with shot and shell,Boldly they rode and well,Into the jaws of Death,Into the mouth of HellRode the six hundred.
We in Canada have equally brave and dedicated troops in the various branches of our armed forces. And I have the greatest respect for its commanders and officers – and that is why I am writing this blog.
The brave 600 nearly all died because those higher up did not give them the proper tools to ‘complete the mission’, and I believe chronic underfunding and political games have put Canadian men and women in uniform at risk over the years in various ways.
Cases in point:
1. During the first Gulf War, one of our ships sent to blockade Iraqi waters left Canadian shores with new anti-aircraft guns. Unfortunately, the guns were still in crates, had to be assembled and bolted down during the journey to the Persian Gulf, and troops quickly trained in the weaponry.
Fortunately, as I was told by a spouse of someone on that ship, no Iraqi fighter jets attacked, or they might well have sunk the ship.
NOT VERY BRIGHT, Brian Mulroney!
2. Afghanistan
The original Canadian troops sent there almost 9 years ago arrived with camoflague combat clothing – traditionally motley green-tan-black. Great for hiding in a forest but not so good in barren, beige desert and treeless mountains.
So Canadian troops had to improvise and solve the immediate danger themselves – sharing the solution with other troops as well -- spray paint their ‘protective’ clothing sandy beige.
Tanks – or lack thereof – became another problem as we did not have the right equipment needed for the job. Thankfully Germany was able to loan us their state of the sart Leopard tanks.
IEDs have been another deadly problem as our original vehicles where not designed to withstand attack from underground. The heavy armour was on top – if there was any – to protect against motor or tank fire. The underbelly was ‘vulnerable’. So our troops,again, had to imptovise and add their own extra belly shielding and the government finally decided to ‘upgrade’ the vehicles to current standards with new orders.
3. Canada’s airforce
Thanks to Prime Minister Jean cretian after the defeat of the Tory government of Kim Campbell (19m ) the signed contracts for new, state of the art helicipters to replace the aging and old King fff was cancelled – at a penalty cost of over $500,000.00 for breach of contracts. Are search and rescue airmen are still waiting and continue to do their duty with little more than duct tape and cannibalized parts.
Now, the F-35 interceptor jet fighter is the new battlefield.
Canada, some 5 years ago, joined with the United States, denmark, to design a new plane for the future, to defend the sovereignty of these countries
The poem is an ode to bravery and duty in the face of almost certain death – in the same vein as the famous story of the 300 Spartans. It was made into an epic film starring Errol Flynn in 1936,with extensive Hollywood spin (and remade in 1968). The climactic and spectacular 1936 charge is available on YouTube.
In a war half way around the world, a British cavalry unit of 600, armed only with lances and swords, is ordered to take an enemy, Russian position: a position at the end of a long, narrow valley, defended by canons on both sides and at its end.
To quote the poem:
….
Into the valley of DeathRode the six hundred.
….
Cannon to right of them,Cannon to left of them,Cannon in front of themVolley'd and thunder'd;Storm'd at with shot and shell,Boldly they rode and well,Into the jaws of Death,Into the mouth of HellRode the six hundred.
We in Canada have equally brave and dedicated troops in the various branches of our armed forces. And I have the greatest respect for its commanders and officers – and that is why I am writing this blog.
The brave 600 nearly all died because those higher up did not give them the proper tools to ‘complete the mission’, and I believe chronic underfunding and political games have put Canadian men and women in uniform at risk over the years in various ways.
Cases in point:
1. During the first Gulf War, one of our ships sent to blockade Iraqi waters left Canadian shores with new anti-aircraft guns. Unfortunately, the guns were still in crates, had to be assembled and bolted down during the journey to the Persian Gulf, and troops quickly trained in the weaponry.
Fortunately, as I was told by a spouse of someone on that ship, no Iraqi fighter jets attacked, or they might well have sunk the ship.
NOT VERY BRIGHT, Brian Mulroney!
2. Afghanistan
The original Canadian troops sent there almost 9 years ago arrived with camoflague combat clothing – traditionally motley green-tan-black. Great for hiding in a forest but not so good in barren, beige desert and treeless mountains.
So Canadian troops had to improvise and solve the immediate danger themselves – sharing the solution with other troops as well -- spray paint their ‘protective’ clothing sandy beige.
Tanks – or lack thereof – became another problem as we did not have the right equipment needed for the job. Thankfully Germany was able to loan us their state of the sart Leopard tanks.
IEDs have been another deadly problem as our original vehicles where not designed to withstand attack from underground. The heavy armour was on top – if there was any – to protect against motor or tank fire. The underbelly was ‘vulnerable’. So our troops,again, had to imptovise and add their own extra belly shielding and the government finally decided to ‘upgrade’ the vehicles to current standards with new orders.
3. Canada’s airforce
Thanks to Prime Minister Jean cretian after the defeat of the Tory government of Kim Campbell (19m ) the signed contracts for new, state of the art helicipters to replace the aging and old King fff was cancelled – at a penalty cost of over $500,000.00 for breach of contracts. Are search and rescue airmen are still waiting and continue to do their duty with little more than duct tape and cannibalized parts.
Now, the F-35 interceptor jet fighter is the new battlefield.
Canada, some 5 years ago, joined with the United States, denmark, to design a new plane for the future, to defend the sovereignty of these countries
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